


Your Voice, At the End of the World

by Naome



Series: The Lips That Did Part [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-13
Updated: 2015-08-13
Packaged: 2018-04-14 11:16:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4562535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naome/pseuds/Naome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Warrior of Light struggles with memories of the past, acting like a mighty sea intending to drown them away from the present.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Your Voice, At the End of the World

                Hundreds of footsteps echoing in the empty hallways, screams heard in the distance as people panicked and hurried towards the exits of the banquet. Shouting for reinforcements to arrive, shouting for them to cut us off. The sound of a metal gate landing heavily onto the floor, locking us out from where Yda and Papaylmo stood. Minfilia crying out for them, pleading with them to not stay behind, as we had to drag her away towards the secret tunnel’s entrance.

                The sounds of the tunnels collapsing, rubble piling itself on top of each other. Y’shtola and Thancred are not with us. Minfilia stopping suddenly, turning to me, and grabbing my hand and pulling me back a little. She told me to go on, to keep the light going, for she will stay behind to buy me time. I pleaded with her, shook my head too many times, and my eyes overflowed with hot tears.

                I ran out of the tunnel with the little strength left in my legs. When Alphinaud found me, my legs felt heavy and I dragged my feet as I rushed to him to embrace him.

                At that moment, we only had each other for what remained of the Scions. As these images continued to burst forth, some specific scenes being repeated ceaselessly, I struggled to wake myself up. I tossed around in my bed as if I was fighting an intruder off. I kept shaking my head to force my eyelids open. It had happened already, but it felt as if it was happening again.

                When my eyelids finally opened, I sat up in my bed, sweating profusely and my arms and hands shaking. I could not feel my legs as I quickly looked at the side of the bed to see my blanket sprawled out on the floor. An overwhelming feeling of numbness began to flood my nerves as I stared blankly ahead of me, looking at a blank wall.

                I began to rub my arms to calm them down and rubbed my neck and shoulders as best as I could to regain some feeling. I clenched my hands into fists and let my nails dig a little deep into my skin to stay grounded to the reality happening right now. I rubbed my face all over, my hands glazing over the sweat, as I tried to pace my breathing.

                I was in the present now. I slowly opened my eyes again and looked up at the ceiling above. I was in the present now, looking for my friends who had disappeared that day. Slowly, I let myself lay down onto my bed again, not even bothering to pick up my blanket. It was too hot for that now.

                After a few minutes of peaceful quietness, I closed my eyes. I let the air stick to my skin, feeling a small chill as it had been snowing earlier. As I felt the chill, I felt warmth on my face. A warm wetness that had been familiar since that day.

                I opened my eyes, blinking the tears from my eyes away. I let a few more fall before I grabbed a towel and dried myself a little. Groggily, I exited my room to head to the lobby in hopes of finding some means to start a fire to sit idly by and think.

                My footsteps were small thumps onto the carpet of the Fortemps Manor. They had no chance of waking anybody from their slumber, and at this thought, I felt as if I was completely alone in the world. I shook my head, trying to scatter that thought in the wind so that I would not let it linger in my heart to make it ache.

                As I turned around the corner of the hallway leading to the lobby, I found the sight of a comforting orange, crackling softly in the dead quiet of the manor. On a luxurious couch nearby was Haurchefant, dressed in his sleeping clothes with a small book in his hand.

                He quickly closed the book and looked up, staring at nothing in particular in the darkness. He had not seen me yet, but he heard something. “Who’s there?” he asked, gently placing the book on the small table before him.

                “Haurchefant…? It’s me…” I whispered, stepping out into some of the fire’s light.

                “Ah, it’s good to see you, my love… However, you look rather ill. I suppose you cannot sleep?” he gestured me to sit beside him.

                Slowly, I carried my feet towards the couch, letting my haggard appearance be slowly revealed in the light provided by the fire. My sleeping clothes were a bit too big for me, but this roominess I preferred, yet some of it stuck to my skin from the sweat. I took my seat beside him and immediately placed my head against his shoulder, letting myself adjust to his warmth. I closed my eyes as he took hold of my hands and squeezed them.

                “Another nightmare?” he softly asked, opening my hands and lightly tracing my palms.

                “Again, yes, of the day when Nanamo was assassinated…” I sighed, focusing on his small touches to keep myself attuned to the present.

                “Remove your head for a second, my love…” he whispered to me.

                I did so, opening my eyes and looking up at him. He then wrapped one arm around my shoulders. He brought me closer to his chest and I let my ear fall on top of it, listening to his heartbeat. He still held my hand with his other hand, now gently squeezing it to help me stay with him.

                “It is rather difficult to fully move past such a traumatizing event, especially if it ended in the loss of most of your friends,” he began, his breath slowly releasing themselves from his lips and onto the top of my head, “And there are times, such as now, where it is rather challenging to keep yourself attached to the present. However, stay with me, my love, for I need you and you are needed by others.”

                He quickly kissed me on the forehead before he let go of my hand to rub my hair. “I know that, and I try to think of it when I get overwhelmed with terrible nightmares. I try my best, every time it happens…”

                “My love, I know how much you do try. More oft than not, you let yourself shoulder the needs of the realm without any help. But right now, I ask you to rely on me to help you overcome some fears of yours.”

                “I know… I am relying on you,” I softly whined, looking up at him and sighing. “I’m just not quite used to it yet… It is an odd feeling, Haurchefant.”

                “You will get used to it, my dear. Focus on my voice, and focus on your breathing. You are here now, with me, within the walls of Ishgard, safe for the time being. If the ghosts of the past intend to take you away, I shall fend them off myself,” he gave a light chuckle, rustling my hair a little.

                I blushed and let myself giggle. “I can fend them off myself, you know…”

                “Of course you can, but I shall be doing most of the work for now. Even heroes need to rest too, my dear.”

                “I know… I try…” I mumbled to him, my muscles relaxing and my breathing becoming slower and quieter. I huddled closer to him, letting myself sigh against his chest in relief.

                “As long as I am here, my love, my voice will be here to guide you and comfort you, even at the end of the world.”

                “Oh goodness, Haurchefant… I would never let the world end,” I jokingly replied, feeling my mind become a little hazy. My eyelids felt heavy and the only thing I could feel now was his warmth.

                “I have faith that you will uphold what you just said, but for now, you must sleep. A great deal of things must be done tomorrow, and both of us know that you cannot afford to be too fatigued.”

                I closed my eyes and I heard his voice, but I could not make out any more words. In a few minutes, I was asleep, being embraced by him.

                I found myself securely placed in the present now, with his voice guiding me through the aftermath of each nightmare. A loving voice, calling out to me whenever I stray too far from where I should be. At this thought, I found comfort in the prospects of not getting lost any time soon thanks to his love.

**Author's Note:**

> I might as well just listen to Casker songs and write Haurchefant/WoL fanfics for each one at this point. I've done it like 3 times already. This one didn't end up super fluffy like the other one though, but it's nice to have someone to comfort us when times do get bad!


End file.
